This is the second of a series of Advent reflections. To read the first part, follow this link: Preparing for the Silent Night (Part One). In part one of this series we considered the following quotation from The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander. Because He is in the little house of our being, we will learn …
My Advent reading for this year is The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander. A twentieth century Catholic mystic, Houselander lived from 1901 until dying from breast cancer in 1954. She wrote several books, but The Reed of God is her most enduring work; published in 1944, it explores themes of waiting, pregnancy, seeking and beauty …
Recently I spoke at a church located about an hour north of where I live. As I drove to the church, I chatted on the phone with my brother who lives in Florida. We were making plans for me to come visit him on the weekend of our birthdays (his is a day later than …
Interfaith Dialogue, Interspirituality, and Holy Daring Read More »
One of the pitfalls of contemplative practice is that we can easily get stuck in our heads. Combing through the Bible or other books for lectio divina, investing time to daily prayer and meditation, and nurturing our faith through study or devotional reading — these are all fine pursuits, but, especially when combined with the kind …
Julian of Norwich’s Showings shines with luminous mystical wisdom. If there is one mystic I wish everyone would read, it is Julian. But of course, the question is, “which edition should I read?” Thankfully, Mirabai Starr’s lovely and engaging new translation of this medieval masterpiece makes it more accessible than ever. Now, let me put …
Mirabai Starr: Giving Julian of Norwich a Lucid Voice Read More »
True confession time: I’m a clutter bug. I always have been, with books, CDs, and other forms of media being my worst offenses when it comes to acquiring stuff that I never use or under-use. Recently I got library privileges at my local seminary, which has helped some, but I still have the addiction. “Hi, …
I’m not sure why the fall of 2013 belongs to Julian of Norwich (except to the extent that any time is a good time for reading and reflecting on Julian’s wisdom). What I do know is that three wonderful books about Julian have been, or soon will be, published this season. If you’re already a …
Three Wonderful Books for Exploring Julian of Norwich Read More »
Autumn in Georgia is a mild and lovely season, marked by golden sunlight, cool mornings and temperate days. And even if we can’t boast the shock of gorgeous color that grace the trees in states like Vermont or Minnesota, we have enough yellow poplars and white oaks and other trees to remind the Georgia Pines …
I received this email today. Thought it might be worth exploring here on the blog. Hi Carl. Just listened to your two interviews and was blessed … You said in your interview that you didn’t like the, what I would call, the “us and them” attitude in evangelical circles like “I’m saved and you’re not.” …
Concerning Sheep, Goats, and the Unconditional Love of God Read More »
One of the great paradoxes of being a writer (and speaker) on contemplative spirituality is that I essentially use words to invite people into a wordless place. Ah, sweet irony. And while that is usually a matter of writing, I love to speak about silence as well. Today (September 18, 2013) I am going to …
Living in the World (Whether or Not You’re a Monk) Ten years ago Wayne Teasdale wrote a book called A Monk in the World. It’s based on an idea he received from Bede Griffiths, the Benedictine monk who founded a Christian ashram in India. The idea is simple: the time has come for the spirituality …
Here is another treasure from filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg. Take a 4½ minute break and watch this video, filled with lush and sensual imagery from the natural world. It’s a trailer for an 80-minute documentary film called “Wings of Life” (you can stream it through Netflix here or buy the Blu-Ray and DVD from Amazon here). Here’s what …
“Are you a monk?” I get asked that question a lot, especially when I’m at the monastery where I work and pray and lead retreats. Perhaps it’s because of my greying hair and scruffy beard. Whatever the reason, I always see it as a compliment, but of course, I’m not a monk. So I say, …
Here are three brief excerpts from a talk I gave in Portland, OR, in October 2010 on the topic of Christian mysticism. These videos were produced by Cathy Zheutlin who lovingly describes herself as a “holy rascal.” In the first one, I tell an amusing story of one of my monastic mentors, Father Anthony, who …
Speaking of Mysticism: Three Video Clips Filmed in Portland, Oregon Read More »
Are you interested in exploring the richness of dialogue and interspiritual practice between Christianity and Buddhism? If so, then here’s enough literature to keep you going for a while. Each of the books on the following list has some sort of connection with both Christianity and Buddhism. Some of these titles are academic studies, some …
